Can 'Laughing Gas' Be An Alternative For Epidurals?

It has been suggested by some experts that hospitals should give pregnant patients the option to have a dose of nitrous oxide, also known as the "laughing gas" during labor.

According to American Pregnancy Organization, nitrous oxide in high concentrations is a weak anesthetic, but in low doses it is an anxiolytic, meaning it can alleviate anxiety and analgesic, meaning it can reduce pain.

Thereby, various researches have supported the laughing gas, deeming it as an effective anxioloytic and analgesic drug during labor. However, there are still some people who are giving second thoughts about it.

Is nitrous oxide during labor really effective? Here are some information we know about it.

More hospitals are adding the laughing gas as alternative for epidurals.

Epidural anesthesia is the most popular drug used to reduce pain during labor. However, it is deemed somehow risky because it may cause your blood pressure to suddenly drop and because complications from accidental puncture of the spinal cord may result to permanent nerve damage.

Health News Florida reported that until 2011, only a couple of hospitals in the United States offered nitrous oxide to women on its menu of pain relief options for labor. Today, it's in hundreds, including a newly opened hospital in Rhode Island, South County Hospital in South Kingstown.

Laughing gas can take the edge off.

The article added that although laughing gas is not as strong as an epidural, laughing gas can "take the edge off" of pain.

"It gives you this euphoria that helps you sort of forget about the pain for a little bit," a midwife told the news site.

Laughing gas is safe and relaxing.

New York Mag reported that laughing gas is light and safe. Unlike the epidural anesthesia which results to numbness of the lower part of your body, the laughing gas simply relaxes the body and makes the patient care less about the pain. In addition, the gas leaves the body immediately.